When my eldest son began to drive, I, like any caring and modern parent, quickly downloaded a GPS tracking app onto his phone. After all, most family cell plans come with such options, making it a no-brainer for safety. With the ability to see his location in real time, I felt a sense of relief knowing he was safe as he traveled to various destinations. I wasn’t alone in this thinking; numerous teen driving apps promise to ensure our kids’ safety. From alerting us if they unlock their phone while driving to tracking their speed and logging their trips, I thought these tools would give me peace of mind. I even considered installing a hidden GPS device in his car if necessary.
So, with a mix of excitement and anxiety, I set up these monitoring apps on our phones and sent him off into the world, feeling confident that I could manage this new phase of parenting. However, just two weeks later, I found myself uninstalling every single app.
While these GPS tools and speed monitors seem beneficial at first glance, they can quickly begin to control our lives instead. I spent way too many hours obsessively watching a little pin move across my screen, constantly refreshing to check if he was where he claimed to be. In my misguided effort to protect him and maintain my sanity, I lost trust and effectively put a tracking device on my child, who hadn’t done anything wrong except be born in an era where such technology exists. It was an appealing idea at first, but eventually, it became clear that I didn’t want to live that way.
I realized it was time to embrace a more trusting approach to parenting, so I decided to cut ties with the GPS tracking. This was a challenging decision, especially since many parents around me were still using their apps to keep tabs on their teens. Meanwhile, I opted for a more traditional method, simply waiting for my son to return home from practice without a clue about his whereabouts. I had to summon every ounce of faith I could find in my 17-year-old son, whose brain was still developing. But I knew it was the right choice for me; it was time to let him spread his wings and trust him, rather than a tracker.
That same son is now attending college four hours away, and while the urge to reactivate the tracker was strong, I resisted. I’m among the few moms I know who don’t have a constant pulse on their kid’s location and have instead chosen to let him navigate his own path. The temptation to stay connected is powerful, especially during such a significant transition, but I had to sever that cord. I couldn’t bear the thought of spending four more years fixated on a blinking dot on a map, worrying about where he might be.
Every parent who has sent a child off to college or into the world knows the innate desire to stay connected. However, it’s equally important to let them grow and learn to manage their own lives without constant oversight. I’ll always be there for my kids, offering support from a distance, rather than hovering over them as they navigate the complexities of young adulthood.
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In summary, while the allure of GPS tracking for my teenager was strong, I realized that true parenting involves trust and letting go. As challenging as it was, stepping back has allowed both my son and me to embrace the independence that comes with growing up.